A guy with a sub .300 OBP two of the last four years batting in the third spot doesn't exactly inspire much hope here. Viciedo is supposedly sub par in left field because he has poor plate discipline, yet a guy who walks less than Viciedo in the three hole is a good idea? Don't get me wrong, I like Rios and I understand we don't really have much better options, but Rios seems better suited 5th or 6th. I'd actually probably prefer Rios 4th and Konerko 3rd, presuming he's recovered from his wrist problems.

Spot on. Plus Rios has struggled in the three spot in the past.

I still prefer Dunn in the three spot as long as he's doing OK at the plate - for him. He draws the most walks on the team and tied Rios in OBP last year despite his Mendoza-like batting average.

Also, the back of our lineup is rough enough without adding Dunn. Running Dunn, Viciedo, Flowers and Beckham together seems like masochism.

I would have to believe Keppinger will bat 2nd. Bacon can bat 9th. He sucks.

Yep. Everything I've read says that Keppinger will be in the 2 hole to start the year. I believe his "plus" ability in that lineup spot is one of the main reasons he was signed.

__________________
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I know that Rios has a low OBP but he can hit for power and he can steal bases which might mean Konerko sees more fastballs. If he can put up numbers like he did in 2012 or 2010, I can live with a .330ish OBP from Rios coming out of the three hole if it means more fastballs for Paulie.

2. Keppinger - pretty good #2 guy, could be epic lower in the order or in a high AB supersub role like Maddon played him last year in Tampa

3. Dunn - We're stuck with him until contract is up, may as well keep him at #3, at least we'll get him on base for the RBI guys

4. Konerko - his protection is the only way Dunn has decent numbers, plus I'm old school - I like to see our best player hit 4th.

5. Rios - he did well here last year, why change it now? Plus he's lost his swing before when changed to different lineup spots.

6. Alexei - hope to see better results this year now that we're paying $7.5M this year and $9M next.

7-9. Three other guys who can hit.

Again I'll give Viciedo, Flowers and Beckham a chance. Let's see what they can do this with pressure to keep their jobs, at least long-term. It's not like we have big-league quality alternatives. If it clicks, we have a decent lineup to go with an above average pitching staff.

Also, not sure if I like two free swinging Cubans hitting back to back. Maybe give Flowers some protection and Viciedo less pressure hitting behind him in 8th as our "second cleanup guy"

I like Rios hitting third. He will see more fastballs with Paulie behind him. In turn, a Paulie single to right generally will allow Rios to advance two bases.

I also like Dunn fifth, Viciedo sixth and Flowers seventh, especially later in the game, because Viciedo and Flowers crush LHP. Does the LOOGY come in only to face Dunn? Or does the opposing manager keep the RH pitcher in the game to face Dunn, and then Viciedo and perhaps Flowers? Often, the opposing manager will thus make two moves, or no move at all.

__________________The universe is the practical joke of the General at the expense of the Particular, quoth Frater Perdurabo, and laughed. The disciples nearest him wept, seeing the Universal Sorrow. Others laughed, seeing the Universal Joke. Others wept. Others laughed. Others wept because they couldn't see the Joke, and others laughed lest they should be thought not to see the Joke. But though FRATER laughed openly, he wept secretly; and really he neither laughed nor wept. Nor did he mean what he said.

Dunn without protection is a scary prospect. Note when Konerko was hitting as well as anyone in the league the first few months of the season last year, Dunn was productive. Once Konerko fell off, Dunn was worthless. I could be wrong of course, but Dunn batting where he belongs at the bottom of the order is going to be ugly.

Dunn without protection behind him in the lineup will give Dunn a higher on-base percentage because he will walk more. If walks are a big part of his offense, that would be a good thing.

When a big hitter has protection in the lineup, the idea is that pitchers will pitch to them instead of walking them and they will get fewer walks. Dunn was pretty much worthless last year from late May, long before Konerko fell off, and he wasn't worth that much before that. He was only hitting .230 at the end of May.

Dunn without protection behind him in the lineup will give Dunn a higher on-base percentage because he will walk more. If walks are a big part of his offense, that would be a good thing.

When a big hitter has protection in the lineup, the idea is that pitchers will pitch to them instead of walking them and they will get fewer walks. Dunn was pretty much worthless last year from late May, long before Konerko fell off, and he wasn't worth that much before that. He was only hitting .230 at the end of May.

Konerko's slide last year began in late May as well. His BA hit its season high on May 27 at .399 and his slide began pretty rapidly after that.